Matthew 27
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Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Read and summarize
The following material is adopted from John MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew and his Study guide. Additional material taken from sources listed at the end
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— Prayers ( Blue )
— Promises ( Green )
— Warnings ( Red )
— Commands ( Purple )
Matthew 27: Summary of Events
Jesus arrived at Golgotha (Mt 27:33; Mk 15:22; Lk 23:33; Jn 19:17)
He refused the offer of wine, vinegar and myrrh (Mt 27:34; Mk 15:23)
Nailed to the cross between two thieves (Mt 27:35-38; Mk 15:24-28; Lk 23:33-38; Jn 19:18)
First Cry from the cross: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34)
Garments allocated (Mt 27:35; Mk 15:24; Lk 23:34; Jn 19:23)
Jews mocked Jesus (Mt 27:39-43; Mk 15:29-32; Lk 23:35-37)
Conversed with two thieves (Lk 23:39-43)
Second Cry: “You will be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43)
Third cry: “Woman, behold your son,” “Behold thy mother.” (Jn 19:26-27)
Darkness from noon to 3 PM (Mt 27:45; Mk 15:33; Lk 23:44)
Fourth Cry: “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me!” (Mt 27:46,47; Mk 15:34-36)
Fifth Cry: “I am thirsty” (Jn 19:28)
He drank wine vinegar (Mt 27:48; Mk 15:36; Jn 19:29)
Sixth cry: “It is finished” (Jn 19:30)
Seventh cry: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46)
He dismissed His Spirit (Mt 27:50; Mk 15:37; Lk 23:46; Jn 19:30)
Temple curtain torn in twain (Mt 27:51; Mk 15:38; Lk 23:45)
Roman soldiers declare, “Surely He was the Son of God” (Mt 27:54; Mk 15:39)
The Contrast between the Wicked Leaders and The Sinless Christ ( 27:1-2 )
( 27:1-2 ) When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
— Country to rabbinical law, the first two phases of Jesus's religious trial carried out during the night and away from the temple
— The chief priests and elders had no authority to try Jesus in this way
Jesus faced two trials one Jewish, one Roman
— First, He was brought before Annas ( Jn 18:12-14; 19-23 ), the former high priest, in the hope that he could concoct a false charge that would justify the death penalty
— Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas and remained very influential
— When that failed, Christ was brought before the acting high priest, Caiaphas, and the hastily assembled Sanhedrin
— Even with willing false witnesses that group was also unable to indict Jesus
— It was only when He confessed to be Christ and God's son did they convict him of blasphemy and being worthy of death
— “But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.” ( Mt 26:26:63-66; Mark 14:61-64 )
— The religious leaders had to persuade the Roman government to sentence Jesus adapt because they did not have the authority to do it themselves ( Jn 18:31 )
— The Romans had taken away the religious leaders authority to inflict capital punishment
— Politically, it was better for the religious leaders anyway is someone else was responsible for killing Jesus
— Because this charge would be thrown out Roman court, however, they had to come up with the political reason for Jesus's death
— Their strategy was to show Jesus as a rebel who claim to be a king and thus a threat to Caesar
— All all the chief priests; all the Sanhedrin, a body of seventy; all the elders of the people.
— All of them conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death
— It was unanimous, a unanimous decision
Q: How did Judas kill himself ( Acts 1:18; Matt 27:5 )? What did he do with the 30 pieces of silver?
The Contrast between Guilty Judas and Innocent Jesus ( 27:3-5 )
( 27:3-5 ) Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
The Traitor’s Suicide
— Jesus's formal accuser wanted to drop his charges ( 23:48 ), but the religious leaders refused to halt the trial
— When he betrayed Jesus, perhaps Judas was trying to force Jesus's hand get him to lead the revolt against Rome
— This did not work of course, whatever his reason, Judas changed his mind but it was too late
— Many of the plans we set into motion cannot be reversed
— It is best to think of the potential consequences before we launch into an action we may later regret
— The Priest’s job was to teach people about God and act as intercessors for them, helping administer the sacrifices to cover their sins
— Rather than helping him Judas find forgiveness however the priest said, "That's your responsibility."
— Not only had they rejected the Messiah, they rejected their role as priests
— According to Matthew, Judas hanged himself. Acts 1:18, says that he fell and burst open
— The best explanation is that the limb from which he was hanging broke, and the resulting fall split open by
Going Deeper
— No man could be more evil than Jews Iscariot
— Only eleven other men in all of history have had intimate, personal relationship he had with the incarnate son of God
— No man has ever been more exposed to God's perfect truth, both in precept and example
— No man has been more exposed first-hand to God's love, compassion, power, kindness, forgiveness, and grace
— Yet in all of those 3 indescribably blessed years with Jesus, Judas did not take so much as the first step of faith
— In a way that defies comprehension, Judas persistently resisted and rejected God's truth, God’s grace, even God's own son also in a way that defies understanding, he managed to completely conceal his wicked rebellion from everyone but Jesus
— His hypocrisy was so complete and deceptive that even when Jesus predicted that one of the disciples with training, Judas was not suspected
— Judas’s remorse was not repentance of sin as the King James Version suggests
— Matthew did not use μετανοέω (metanoeō), which means a genuine change mind and will, but μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai), which merely connotes regret or sorrow.
— He did not experience spiritual penitence s but only emotional remorse
— Although he would not repent of his sin, he could not escape the reality of his guilt
— Genuine sorrow for sin can be prompted by God in order to produce repentance as Paul declares ( 2 Cor 7:10 )
— But Judas’s remorse was not prompted by God to lead to repentance but only to guilt and despair
The Contrast between the Hypocrisy of Men and the Prophecy of God ( 27:6-10 )
( 27:6-10 ) But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
— By admitting it was blood money they condemn themselves with their own mouth
— By definition, the price referred to money illegitimately paid and received to falsely convict a man of a crime that led to his execution
— These chief priests felt no guilt in giving Judas money betraying innocent man, but when Judas return the money, the priests could not accept it because it was wrong to accept blood money-- payment for murder!
— Their hatred for Jesus had caused them to lose all sense of right and wrong
— More fulfilled prophecy:
Zechariah 11:12-13 (NIV) 12 I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"--the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter.
— The Hebrew OT list of prophets begins with Jeremiah
— The prophets were sometimes collectively referred to by this name
Going Deeper
— The fact that this quotation comes from Zechariah ( 13:11-12 ) and not Jeremiah Has caused some interpreters to accuse Matthew of error
— Others have tried to relate the quotation to sections of Jeremiah 18 or 19 although it clearly does not fit
— Others say that the Jewish division of the Old Testament into three sections — the Law, the Writings, and the Prophets and that Jeremiah was always listed first and represented the prophets
— Another says that in the original “through the prophets” stood alone and “Jeremiah” was added by a copyist ( textual evidence to support this theory is weak )
Hendriksen on this passage
— There is a close connection between Matt 27:9,10 and Zech 11:12, 13 but it does not fully satisfy Matthew’s fulfillment passage
— The fulfillment of the OT prophecy of a plot of land known as “the Field of Blood’ is found in Jeremiah, but the solution is not complete, that Jeremiah actually bought a potter’s field is not stated in Jer 19
— What Matthew does, therefore is this: he combines two prophecies, one from Zechariah and one from Jeremiah; he mentions not the minor prophet but the major prophet as the source
— Mark does this also; thus Mark 1:2, 3 refers first to Malachi, then to Isaiah, nevertheless, Mark ascribes both to Isaiah
Potters Field
— They decide to use this money for a cause not directly connected with the temple and its maintenance or with any other strictly religious project
— Instead they ( the priests ) buy the potter’s field and intend to transform this plot into a burial place for strangers
— They were probably thinking of Jews living outside the Holy Land and coming to Jerusalem to attend one of the great festivals who die and have no one to bury them
— In this way the blood money, having been already used for the murder of the Friend of the poor, could now also serve as a help for the poor themselves in their ultimate need!
The Accusation of the Jews ( 27:11-12a )
( 27:11-12 ) Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.
— Standing before Pilate, the religious leaders accused Jesus of a different crime than the ones for which they had arrested him
— They arrested him for blasphemy but that charge would mean nothing to the Romans
— So the religious leaders had to accused Jesus of crimes that would have concerned the Roman government:
a. He perverts the nation
b. He forbids us to pay tribute to Caesar
c. He claims that he himself is king ( Lk 23:2 )
— In reality these three chargers amounted to one: “This man is a revolutionary, a seditionist, a politically dangerous person.”
— Their telling Pilate, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death" was duplicitous ( Jn 18:31b )
— The Sanhedrin made no effort to secure Roman permission for execution when they stoned Stephen ( Acts 6:-15; 7:54-70) or when some years later, they plotted Paul's death ( Acts 23:12-15 )
— Their design was not simply to have Jesus put to death but to avoid responsibility for it
Going Deeper
Pontius Pilate
— Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of the southern half of Palestine
— He was “governor” in the sense of being procurator, ruling over an imperial province; although endowed with civil, criminal, and military jurisdiction, he was under the authority of the legate of Syria
Pilate and the charges against Jesus
— Not only were the charges patently false, but Pilate knew that the Jewish leaders themselves hated Rome passionately
— Had Jesus actually been in insurrectionist, they would have supported him ( Jesus ) and sought to protect him, not brought Him before a Roman court and demanded His execution
— Pilate knew quite well that “it was envy “ of Jesus, not loyalty to Rome, “that they delivered Him up” ( 27:18 )
— The religious leaders hated Jesus because He undermined their religious influence and stature before the people
— He exposed their sinfulness, hypocrisy, and doctrinal error
— He was popular, where is they were not; He could heal, whereas they could not; He taught truth and they did not
— Their true motivation was transparent even to pagan politician
The Attitude of the Lord ( 27:12b-14 )
( 27:12-14 ) And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
— Jesus is silence fulfill the words of the prophet ( Isa 53:7)
— Pilate was amazed that Jesus didn't try to defend himself
— He recognized the obvious plot against Jesus and wanted to let them go, Pilate was already under pressure from Rome to keep peace in his territory
— The last thing he needed was a rebellion over this quiet and seemingly insignificant man
Going Deeper
Why Pilate was afraid of the Jews
— First strike, he had deliberately offended the Jews by having his soldiers carry ensigns into Jerusalem that carried the likeness of Caesar
— When a delegation of Jews persistently asked Pilate to remove the ensigns, he heard them into an amphitheater and threaten to have his soldiers cut off their heads
— When the group bared their necks and threw themselves to the ground, Pilate withdrew both his threat and the ensigns
— Second strike, Pilate forcefully took money from the temple treasury to build an aqueduct
— When a riot ensued, Pilate sent plain clothed soldiers to slaughter the unarmed protesters
— Third strike, He made special shields for his guard at Fort Antonia and, had the likeness of Tiberius engraved on the shields
— This time the Jews appealed directly to Caesar
— Tiberius was more concerned about the genuine prospect of rebellion than the insincere flattery of Pilate and demanded that the shields be removed immediately
— A few years later, Pilate brutally ambushed some Samaritan worshipers
— His political career was over and he was banished to Gaul, where he committed suicide
The Animosity of the Crowd ( 27:15-23 )
( 27:15-23 ) Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” 23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
— Barabbas had taken part in rebellion against the Roman government (Mark 15:7)
— Although an enemy of Rome he may have been a hero to the Jews
— Ironically, Barabbas was guilty of the crime for which Jesus was accused
— As a leader who was supposed to minister justice, Pilate would prove to be more concerned about political expediency that about doing what was right
— He had several opportunities to make the right decision
Q: What two things should we take note of about the dream?
( 27:19 ) While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”
— His conscience told him Jesus was innocent; Roman law said an innocent man should not be put to death
— His wife Claudia Procula has had a dream, a kind of nightmare
— We don’t know the dream, it was alarming and she encourages her husband to have nothing to do with him, to dodge his responsibility as judge
— But that was wrong; he should have been brave enough and fair enough to pronounce Jesus “Not guilty,” which, in fact, he did again and again, but also to acquit him!
— When Christ returns He will not shy away from His duty to judge and that is our comfort ( Matt 25:31 ff; 2 Tim 4:8 )
( 27:22 ) Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
— Pilate first had Jesus scourged maybe hoping to appease the Jews (John 19:1 )
— Scourged
— Stripped naked
— Tied to a pole
— Leather on a wooden handle with bone, glass and metal
— Whipped and skin torn until muscle and veins were exposed
— Prisoners often died of this before the crucifixion
— Pilate wanted to release Jesus and appealed to the crowd 3 times ( Lk 23:20-24 )
— Jesus Christ makes a claim every human heart, and every heart must decide what to do in
— The most important and inescapable question every human being faces is the same one that Pilate asked in this passage: “What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
Q: Who said, “Let his blood be onus and our children” ( 27:25 )?
The Acquiescence of the Governor ( 27:24-26 )
( 27:24-26 ) When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” 25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.
— In making no decision, Pilate would make the decision to let the crowds crucified Jesus
— Although he washed his hands, the guilt remained
— Washing your hands of a tough situation doesn't cancel your guilt purely it merely gives you a false sense of peace
— Don’t make excuses — take responsibility for your actions
Hendriksen
— This too was suffering for Jesus, the thoroughly sinless One, to be treated as if he were in a class with Barabbas, who was a condemned robber or insurrectionist ( Jn 18:40 ), a man who had committed murder in an insurrection ( mark 15:7; cf Lk 23:19 )
— Surly, now Pilate is going to have his way
— Why, even the leaders cannot with any consistency ask for the release of a proved, condemned, violent, murderous insurrectionist, since just a little while ago they have accused Jesus of insurrection, a man whose guilt in this respect has not even been proved; in fact, has been disproved
Going Deeper
— Crucifixion of Jesus the climax of redemptive history, the focal point of God's plan of salvation
— But also in the crucifixion of Christ the wickedness of man reached its apex.
— The death of Jesus was therefore the supreme revelation of the gracious love of God while also being the ultimate expression of the sinfulness of man
— And whereas John's gospel focuses on the crucifixion primarily from the perspective of God's redemptive love and grace, Matthew’s focus is primary from the perspective of man's wickedness
— Man's wickedness attempted to kill Jesus shortly after his birth, tried to discredit his teaching, and made every effort to mislead and correct his disciples
— Man's wickedness betrayed him, denied him, arrested, maligned, and beat him
— But the incomparable manifestation of man's wickedness was his crucifixion
The Ignorant Wicked ( 27:27-37 )
( 27:27-37 ) Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. 32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. 35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” 36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS
— Although the soldiers of the governor were under his order to crucify Jesus, they exhibited their own weakness far exceeding what basic duty required
( 27:27) Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.
— They decided to make public support of the other prisoner and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him to watch
— Full Roman cohort amounted to 600 soldiers and because Pilate’s primary headquarters were in Caesarea this covert probably traveled with him from place to place
— If so, they would've been even less familiar with Judaism than the average Roman soldier in Jerusalem and probably never heard Jesus
— What they did to him was therefore unrelated to religious or personal animosity
— Their torment of Jesus was wicked and inexcusable, but it was done out of spiritual ignorance
Going Deeper
— Because He had not spoken for the past hour or so, the soldiers may have considered Him mentally deranged and worthy only of ridicule
— Although in an extreme way, they expressed the natural wickedness of every human heart that is ignorant of God
— Jesus was either naked or nearly naked for the scourging, after which he was probably clothed with His seamless inner garment
( 27:28 ) And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
— First, the soldiers stripped him of that inner garment and put a scarlet robe on Him
— Although it was far from the soldier’s intent, the use a scarlet was reminiscent of Isaiah's declaration
—“Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” ( Is 1:18 )
—Just as the soldiers clothed Jesus in the scarlet robe, He willingly clothed Himself in the scarlet sins of the world in order that those who believe in him might be freed from sin
— To add to His pain and ridicule they put a crown of thorns on His head
— The purpose was to mimic the wreath that Caesar wore on official occasions
— As the scarlet robe, the crown became an unintended symbol of sins Jesus was about to take upon Himself
( 27:29 ) When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
— To complete the sarcastic insults the soldiers even kneeled down before Him and mocked Him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!
( 27:30 ) Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.
— Next in their brutal amusements they took to reed from his hand and to further ridicule his supposedly authority began to beat him on the head, which was already swollen, lacerated, bleeding
— It was as if to say, "Your kingship is a joke
— Look how easily we strip you of your dignity and your authority
— We beat you with your own scepter
— Where is your power?
— One day Jesus will yield a true scepter, a rod of iron with which he will rule the world, including his subdued enemies ( Rev 19:15 )
— Then the tables will be turned, and the mocking and derision will be by God of the ungodly
— Then “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.” ( Ps 2:4 )
— But in His incarnation, Jesus’ humiliation was essential to God’s plan
“but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” ( Phil 2:7-8 )
Going Deeper
— We learn from John's Gospel that during this time Pilate brought Jesus out before the Jews, asserting again that he found no of guilt
— “Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” 5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” ( John 19:4-5 )
— Although he agreed to the crucifixion and permitted Jesus to be brutally beaten and mocked, the governor obviously still hoped, perhaps due to his wife's warning, Jesus life to be spared
— “6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” 8 Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid” ( John 19:6-8 )
— Although they repeatedly repeated only the religious charges against Jesus, the clear implication is Jewish leaders were insisting on Rome's complicity in his execution
— In effect they refused to crucified Jesus by themselves, even with Pilate’s permission
— Pilate then brought Jesus back to the Praetorium and he asked Him where He was from but received no answer
— Pilate threatened Him and said, I have power over life and death
— Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore, the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” ( John 19:10-11 )
( 27:31 ) And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.
— Picking up the account at this point, Matthew reports that after they had mocked Him further, they took His robe off and put His garments on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.
— It was during the grueling procession through the streets of Jerusalem that Jesus gave his last and very brief public message
— “And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ 31 For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?” ( Lk 23:27-31 )
— Not having children for a Jewish women was considered a tragedy
— Jesus’ reference to the green and dry tree related to a popular proverb that meant if something bad occurred under good circumstances, it would be much worse under bad
— His point was that if the Romans did such a terrible thing as to crucify one innocent Jewish man what could they expect to do to the guilty nation of Israel?
— If they executed a man who committed no offense, what would they do to a people who rebelled?
— The Lord was, of course, referring to A.D. 70, when the Temple was destroyed and the Romans slaughtered the majority of the city’s inhabitants
— Because the mosaic law required that execution be performed outside city and also because hanging on a tree was considered curse, Jesus was taken outside Jerusalem to be crucified
( 27:32 ) Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.
Hendriksen
— Simon did not act of his own accord, he was forced by the soldiers to carry the cross
— Jesus carried His own cross ( Jn 19:16, 17 ) but not for long
— Sheer exhaustion made it impossible for him to carry it very far
— When Jesus succumbed beneath his load, the legionaries, exercising their right of “requisitioning” or “making demands on” people ( cf 5:41 ) forced Simon to carry the cross the rest of the way
— Simon, a Jew, had come to Jerusalem to attend Passover, as was the custom of many Jews including those from Cyrene ( Acts 2:10 )
— Now on this particular Friday, Simon is pressed into service by the soldiers who are leading Jesus to Calvary, perhaps ( but this is by no means certain ) along the Via Dolorosa (Sorrowful way ) and are just now coming through the gate of the city
— So — reluctantly at first? — Simon carries Christ’s cross, arrives at Calvary, and witnesses what happens there
— The behavior of Jesus and his words from the cross leave such an impression on Simon that he becomes a Christian
— Subsequently he and his family are living in Rome
— Mark, writing to the Romans, mentions “Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,” as if to say, “people with whom you, in Rome, are well acquainted.”
— Paul in his letter to the Romans ( 16:13 ), writes “Greet Rufus, outstanding in the Lord, and his mother and mine”
— Evidently the mother of Rufus, the wife of Simon — had rendered some motherly service to Paul
— If this reconstruction is factual, then the service which Simon rendered, though initially “forced” turned out to be a genuine blessing for himself, his family, and many others
( 27:34 ) they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink
— Because crucifixion was designed to inflict maximum pain Gall ( or myrrh, Mark 15:23 ) was offered but not as act of mercy on the part of the soldiers
— It was simply used to keep the condemned from struggling while nails are driven into the hands and feet
— Jesus would suffer fully conscious and with a clear mind
( 27:35 ) Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”
— The soldiers customarily took the clothing of those they crucified
— The soldiers cast lots and divided Jesus clothing among themselves, fulfilling the prophecy made by David
— Much of Psalm 22 parallels Jesus's crucifixion
The Knowing Wicked ( 27:38 )
( 27:38 ) Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
— λῃστής (lēstēs), robbers; Someone one plunders as he steals
— These men were not petty thieves or even common robbers, but cruel bandits who took pleasure in tormenting, amusing, and often killing their victims
— It's possible that they were associates of Barabbas, who had probably been destined for the middle cross between them before he was released and Jesus took his place
— They were not patriots who plundered the Romans to help secure the freedom of their country but hardened criminals whose only loyalty was to themselves
— Like many people today, the lives of the two robbers revolved around material possessions and fleshly satisfaction
— They had as little concern for religion, morality and justice as the pagan soldiers.
— Having a greater love the things for the world than the things of God, they used their dying breath to vent their pent-up anger on the only one who could give them hope
Going Deeper
— In Luke’s account he ads that at this point Jesus prayed for His tormentors:”Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” ( Luke 23:34 )
— Bishop J C. Ryle wrote, “These words were probably spoken while our Lord was being nailed to the cross, or as soon as the cross was reared up on the end. It is worthy of remark that as soon as the blood of the Great Sacrifice began to flow, the Great High Priest began to intercede”
— Luke 23:39 records that one of the robbers insulted Jesus while on the cross to draw the contrast between one who was lost and one who was saved. Both ridiculed him but thankfully one of them changed his mind and expressed his belief in Christ before his death ( Lk 23:39-43 )
— Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32 says that both robbers insulted Him on the cross
— John 19:18 simply says he was crucified between two men
— Mark and Matthew both record that these men were robbers ( Mk 15:27; Mt 27:38 )
The Fickle Wicked ( 27:39-40 )
( 27:39-40 ) And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
— Another group present the crucifixion might be called the fickle wicked
— Referred to by Matthew simply as those passing by, this crowd was probably composed largely of pilgrims who had come to celebrate the Passover
— As they passed by beneath the cross they were hurling abuse at him, wagging their heads
— The verb here is used in the imperfect tense, indicating repeated, continuous, defamation
— They scornfully exclaim that the way to prove He is the Son of God is to come down from the cross
— They imply that it is weakness that keeps him there
— Actually, however, it was strength, the strength of his love for sinners that kept him there
( 27:40 ) You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself!
— To emphasize their disdain, they were wagging their heads and mockery and saying You are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself!
— David had predicted some thousand years earlier those who look to Messiah would sneer and mock Him
— All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!” ( Ps 22:7-8 )
Going Deeper
— The wicked, blindness, heartless, and fickle crowd had changed in a few days from claiming Jesus as the Messiah to condemning Him as a blasphemer
— Many people today are like them
— They may have been raised in the church, heard the truth of the gospel many times, and know that Jesus Christ claimed to be the son of God
— They may have been baptized, made a profession of faith, and attended church regularly for a while
— But because Jesus does not fulfill their worldly, selfish expectations they lose interest in the things of God
— They may be quite willing to have the church attack evils in society but are quite unwilling to be confronted with their own sin and need for repentance and forgiveness
— The world is full of passers-by who once praised Jesus but now ridicule Him
The Religious Wicked ( 27:41-44 )
( 27:41-44 ) Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
— By far the most wicked of those who harassed Jesus at the cross were the religious leaders, in particular the chief priests and scribes and elders
— Perhaps because they felt the above addressing Jesus directly, the leaders spoke to the crowd as they were mocking Him saying, He saved others; He cannot save himself
— In saying that Jesus saved others, those men again acknowledge the reality of His miracles, which they had never been able to deny
— They criticized Him of healing on the Sabbath ( Mark 12:24 )
— They accused Him of receiving His power from Satan ( 12:24 )
—But because he attacked their apostasy, the religious leaders were convinced He was not of God and therefore could not save Himself
— In the midst of all of it, Jesus remained silent
— “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” ( 1 Pet 2:23-24 )
— Jesus acted His part as the innocent Lamb of God
Going Deeper
— The only kind of power, natural or supernatural, with which those religious leaders were concerned was that which would serve their own expectations and interests
— It would seem certain that, if Jesus had used His power to conquer Rome and establish Israel as the supreme nation on earth as most Jews expected, those leaders and most other Jews would have followed him enthusiastically
— But they would not have believed in him as Lord and Savior but only given in the superficial loyalty necessary to achieve their own ends
— Just as his nominal followers have done throughout history and continue to do today
Supernatural Darkness ( 27:45 )
( 27:46 ) Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.
— When Jesus was born, the night sky around Bethlehem was filled with supernatural light as “the glory of the Lord shone around “the shepherds in the field ( Lk 2:9 )
— John spoke of Jesus as "the light of men" and "the true light which, coming the world, enlightens every man" ( Jn 1:4, 9 )
— Jesus spoke of himself as "the light of the world" ( Jn 8:12; cf. 12:35-36 )
— But the first miraculous sign that accompany Jesus's death was not glorious light but dreaded darkness
— From the sixth hour ( noon ) when the sun is at its zenith, supernatural darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour ( 3:00 pm )
Going Deeper
— Shortly before the Exodus, a great darkness covered the land of Egypt ( Ex 10:14-15 )
— And some 40 years later the Lord caused the sun to "stand still," (Josh 10:12-13; cf. 2 Ki 20:9-11 )
— The purpose for the darkness is not explained the Gospels or elsewhere in Scripture, but according to the Babylonian Talmud many rabbis had long taught that darkening of the sun was a judgment of God on the world for an unusually heinous sin
— If, indeed, that was God's intention at the crucifixion, He presented a gigantic object lesson to the world regarding the greatest sin ever committed by fallen mankind
— In light of many scriptural teachings and events, it would seem that the crucifixion darkness was indeed a mark of divine judgment
— In speaking of Assyria’s being used by God to punish Israel, Isaiah spoke of "darkness and distress" that would cover the land, when "even the light is darkened by its clouds" ( Is 5:30 )
— In describing the day of Lord, Isaiah declared:
— “For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine. 11 “I will punish the world for its evil” ( Is 13:10-11 )
Sovereign Departure ( 27:46-49 )
( 27:46-49 ) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. 49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him
— A second miracle occurred at about the ninth hour, or three o’clock in the afternoon, as somehow God was separated from God
— Jesus cried out, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
— In this unique and strange miracle, Jesus was crying out in anguish because of the separation He experienced from his heavenly father for the first only time in all of eternity
— It is the only time which we have recorded that Jesus did not address God as Father
— Because the Son had taken sin upon Himself, the Father turned his back
— for In some way and by some means, in the secrets of the divine sovereignty and omnipotence, the God-Man was separated from God for a brief time at Calvary, as the furious wrath of the Father was poured out on the sinless Son
( 27:47 ) Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”
— Because Jesus was quoting the well-known Psalm 22, there could have been little doubt in the minds of those who were standing there as to what Jesus was saying
— They had been taunting him with their with His claim to be God's Son ( 27:43 ), and an appeal for divine help would have been expected
— They're saying, "This man is calling for Elijah," was not conjecture about what He said but was simply an extension of their cruel, cynical mockery
—The resemblance between “Eli” — especially if the pronunciation sounded like Eliya — and the name of the OT prophet was so close that by the perverted minds and lips of these blasphemers a joke could be made of it
Going Deeper
— Some commentators say that the bystanders misinterpreted Jesus's words and thought he was calling for Elijah
— Because Elijah ascended into heaven without dying ( 2 Ki 2:11 ), they thought he would return again to rescue them from great trouble ( Mal 4:5)
— At their annual Passover feast each family set an extra place for Elijah in expectation of his return
Self-Giving Death ( 27:50 )
( 27:50-51 ) And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
— A third miracle on the cross was Christ’s self-giving death
— No one could or would take his life from Him (John 1018 )
— The fact that Jesus cried out again with a loud voice demonstrated considerable physical strength, even after
— the beatings
— scourgings
— crown of thorns
— nail wounds
— hanging in agony for several hours
— Jesus did not gradually fade away
— Even now he made it evident that He was not at the point of utter exhaustion and that he had the resources to stay alive if he so desired
— The last words the Lord cried out for the crossword were first, "it is finished" indicating that the work His father sent him to accomplish was complete
— Then, once again addressing God as his Father, He said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit"
— Jesus's life is not taken from Him by men, but rather He surrendered His spirit by the conscious act of His own sovereign will
( 27:51a ) Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom;
—The fourth miracle that occurred during crucifixion was the divine devastation of the sanctuary, as the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom
— Temple ( naós ) does not refer to the Temple as a whole but to the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies
— A huge woven veil separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple
— When Christ gave up His spirit, the once-for-all sacrifice was completed and the need for veil was no longer existed
— By coming to the Son, any man could now come to God directly, without the priest, sacrifice, or ritual
— “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” ( Heb 4:16 )
( 27:51b ) and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split
— The fifth miracle that occurred during the crucifixion was a supernaturally caused earthquake
— Immediately after Jesus died in the temple veil was torn in two, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split
— God was making still another statement about His Son to the world
— The earthquake of Matthew 27:51 accompanied the wrath of God against sin poured out on His Son. This moment marked the culmination of God’s judgment against our sin, as the Son ofGod yielded up His spirit, and the earth shook in horror
Going Deeper
— Earthquakes in the OT were always a graphic object lesson about divine wrath
— When God delivered the law to Moses at Sinai, “the whole mountain quaked violently” ( Ex 19:18)
— Even the Psalms, the shaking of the earth always signified the terror and wrath of the Lord ( 18:7; cf. 68:8; 77:18; 97:4 )
— The final judgment will commence with a global earthquake like ever seen before ( Heb 12:26-27; Rev 6:14-15 )
Subduing Death ( 27:52-53 )
( 27:52-53 ) and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
— Christ death was accompanied by at least 5 miraculous events:
— Darkness
— God separated from God
— Christ gave up His life
— The tearing into the curtain in the temple
— An earthquake
— the 6th miracle crucifixion was that graves were opened and saints who had fallen asleep were raised
— Jesus's death, therefore, could not have gone unnoticed
— After His resurrection begins a new sentence and introduces a distinct truth, namely, that those select resurrected Saints then entered the holy city and appeared to many
— Those Saints did not appear in Jerusalem until after the Lord’s own resurrection because He was divinely appointed to be “the first fruits of those who are asleep” ( 1 Cor 15:20 )
— One day “all the dead in Christ shall rise” ( 1 Thess 4:16 )
— Interesting to note the eerie similarities in miracles when Moses received the Law on Mount Sanai (The Law) versus Jesus death on the Cross (Grace)
— Major difference is that the giving of the Law was accompanied by death
— Jesus crucifixion & resurrection however resulted in Life (graves were opened)
Object lesson: Depending on the law can only end in death; Depending on Jesus brings Life
Going Deeper
— Matthew points out that many, but not all, bodies of the saints who have died were resurrected
— This resurrection was divinely restricted to a limited number of believers
— When Jesus died, their spirits came from the abode of righteous spirits and were joined with their glorified bodies that came out of the graves
— This was full and final resurrection glorification, making this miracle another foretaste of God sovereign work during the end times, when "all in Christ shall rise" ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16 )
Responses to the Death of Christ ( 27:54-56 )
( 27:54-56 ) So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
— The context and circumstances of the passage clearly indicate, that the centurion and his men were frightened of much more than the darkness and earthquake
— They sense that those awesome natural phenomena are of supernatural origin, and their primary fear was not of those events themselves but of the divine power behind them
— Their emotional frights soon turn to spiritual, reverential awe, as testified by the fact that they did not run for their lives but rather declared "Truly this was the son of God!"
— From Luke we learn that the centurion, and presumably the other soldiers as well, not only confessed Jesus's divinity but "began praising God" ( 23:47 )
— Ancient tradition says the centurion’s name was Longinus and that he was soundly converted and became one of the earliest members of the Christian Church
— A contrasting response is seen in the response of the crowd
— And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. ( Lk 23:48 )
— Like Judas, they may have wished that they could somehow undo the terrible wrong they had done
— But they made no confession of their sin or of Christ’s lordship
—The crowd neither gave Christ nor sought help from Him, and instead of turning to Him like the soldiers, they turned away
— Same two choices we have today: How you view Jesus determines your eternity. (Centurion / The crowd)
Sympathetic Loyalty ( 27:55-56 )
( 27:55-56 ) And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
— Unlike the soldiers, who went from unbelief to belief, the many women who were there were already believers.
— We don't know the number of women were there, but Matthew speaking of them as many perhaps would suggest up to dozen
— However many there were, these women were among those who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him
— Devoted women had traveled with and served Jesus for a long time
Going Deeper
— Among the earliest of them were Mary was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their[ Jesus and the Disciples’] support out of their private means ( Lk 8:2-3 )
— The first women is Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast out seven demons ( Lk 8:2 )
— Magdalene was not a family name but simply indicated she was from the town of Magdala
— She was probably unmarried and could not be identified by her husband or sons, as was the common practice in those days
— The second women mentioned is Mary the mother of James
— This James was one of the apostles, and John identifies her as “the wife of Clopas” ( Jn 19:25 )
— The third women is identified as Salome by Mark ( Mk 15:40 ) but is referred to by Matthew simply as the mother of the sons of Zebedee
— James and John and were nicknamed by Jesus "Sons of thunder" ( Mark 3:17 )
The Amazing Burial of Jesus ( 27:57-66 )
( 27:57-66 ) Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. 62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
— Throughout Scripture God is shown to be sovereign and in control and the burial of Christ is no exception
— Especially in Matthew's account, every detail Jesus's burial, including the scheming of his enemies, is a testimony to His Sonship, messiahship, and kingship
— There is no human explanation for these events
— He is again shown to be none other than the promised son of God and the sovereign Ruler of God’s kingdom
Joseph of Arimathea ( 27:57-60 )
( 27:57-60 ) Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
— Isaiah 53 is the OT’s most beautiful and detailed prediction of Messiah’s death and suffering
— “ And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.” ( Is 53:9 )
—Although Christ's enemies intended to bury him with common criminal, God's plan was that He be buried not with the wicked but in the tomb of a wealthy man
— Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple of Jesus
— He was a religious leader, an honored member of the Sanhedrin
— Joseph courageously asked to take Jesus's body from the cross to bury it
— The disciples who publicly followed Jesus had fled, but this Jewish leader, who followed Jesus in secret, came forward and did what was right
Going Deeper
— By the time Jesus died, even John apparently had left Golgotha and only a few women remain
— They were not able to care for the body by themselves, especially in the short time remaining before the end of day
— And, in any case, they had no burial place for Jesus
— But at the exact moment necessary, God moved in the heart of the godly man
— when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus
— The evening hours were from 3 to 6 PM, at which time the next day, in this case the Sabbath, was considered to begin
— Had Joseph asked for the body any earlier, Jesus would not have been dead
— Had he come any later, he would not have prepared the body for burial before the Sabbath began
— Joseph did not hurry because he was afraid of violating the Sabbath
— He had already defiled himself for Sabbath observance by going into the Praetorium to see Pilate
— He was about to the defile itself further by handling the dead body Jesus
— He operated with haste because, like every other participant in this great drama, he was being moved under God's divinely ordained and scripturally predicted power and according to His timetable
Two Mary’s ( 27:61 )
( 27:61 ) And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
— Of the "many women" who would observe the crucifixion only Mary Magdalene . . . and the other Mary the mother of James the less and Joseph ( Mk 15:47 ) had followed Joseph of Arimathea to the tomb
— After they perhaps helped Joseph and Nicodemus wrap Jesus's and after the great stone was rolled in place the two Mary’s sat opposite the grave
— The special contribution of these two women is not evident until early on Sunday morning, when they return to finish anointing Jesus's body
— At that time they became the first witnesses to Jesus's resurrection
— God did not choose any of the disciples but rather two women to be the priority witnesses to the resurrection Christ
Chief Priests and Pharisees ( 27:62-66 )
( 27:62-66 ) On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
— The religious leaders took Jesus's resurrection claims more seriously than the disciples did
( 27:62 ) On the next day, We have no indication that the religious leaders were troubled in their sleep but they seem to have thought about it deeply
— The disciples didn't remember Jesus’ teaching about his resurrection, but the religious leaders remembered and took steps they thought would prevent it or at least the fabrication of it
— Because of his claims, they were almost as afraid of Jesus after his death as when he was alive
— They tried to take every precaution that his body would remain in the tomb
— Because the tomb with you on the rock inside of a hill, there was only one entrance
— The tomb was sealed by stringing a cord across a stone that was rolled over the entrance
— The cord was sealed at each end with clay
— But the religious leaders took a further precaution, asking the guards in place of the tomb entrance.
— The Pharisees the Pharisees failed to understand that no rock, seal, guard, or any army could prevent the son of God from rising again
Additional Resources
MacArthur, John. Matthew 24-28. Moody Press, 1989.
MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary. Moody, 1985.
MacArthur, John. The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness. Crossway Books, 2009.
MacArthur, John. Betraying Christ a tale of two disciples. https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/81-92/betraying-christ-a-tale-of-two-disciples
Bible Study Questions: https://bible-studys.org/matthew-chapter-27/
William Hendriksen. Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973.